Trump’s Iran war has cost Americans at least $11bn already. And that’s just the start | Arwa Mahdawi

The Trump administration's military operations against Iran have cost American taxpayers at least $11.3 billion, according to columnist Arwa Mahdawi, with that figure excluding expenses for facility repairs or replacing destroyed equipment. The costs have mounted as U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran expanded into an Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon, escalating regional tensions significantly. House Speaker Mike Johnson stated on March 5 that the U.S. is "not at war" and has "no intention of being at war," creating a semantic and legal disconnect that some lawmakers, including Senator Cynthia Lummis, dispute. The lack of clarity on whether the conflict constitutes a formal war raises questions about congressional war powers and the full financial scope of the operation, which could grow substantially as military operations continue.